Hello,
I have a small dilema which you may be able to help with. It regards the popular belief that American Alligators are biologically endeared with a process that prevents them from growing larger than their enclosure. The earliest I can find records of this belief seem to come from pet dealers, which makes this claim very unstable. In fact, much recent literature actively attacks this claim. What I need to know is, frankly, if there is such a biological mechanism, if it exists in American Alligators, and if so, how does it work?
To grant some background into my question, I am a zookeeeper at a small zoo in Middle Georgia. We currently maintain five American Alligators, (4 2year old males, 1 16 year old female). I have personally worked with these animals for the past five years. Previous staff and exhibit designers at our facility have adhered to the belief that enclosure size limits crocodilian growth, and based on observations of our specimins, this seems to be true. Our 16 year old alligator is approx 4 feet long STL. Our smaller alligators have been seperated into two pairs, one in a smaller tank and one in a larger tank. Those in the larger tank have increased in size nearly 3fold of those in the smaller tank. Still, these 2 year olds at largest are a foot long STL. It would seem they possess such an enclosure/growth restriction mechanism. Medically, all of the animals seem in perfect health. There are no deformities, malaise, or other symptoms of illness (save for the dwarfing character I am inquiring about).
So, is there a dwarfing mechanism implicit in enclosure design for captive crocodilians, or is there something wrong with my critters?
